Decanter China staff's articles
Pinot Gris/Grigio (White)
[Grape Variety] Pinot Gris, aka Tokay Pinot Gris in Alsace, is a slightly spicier and more expressive version of its stablemate, Pinot Blanc, and actually a mutation of Pinot Noir.
What are white wines?
Are white wines made only from white grapes? Are white wines "white" in colour?
Grenache/Garnacha (red)
[Grape Variety] One of the world's most widely planted grapes, Grenache is a quintessentially Mediterranean red variety which does best as a low yielding bush vine.
Sangiovese (red)
[Grape Variety] Meaning Blood of Jove, or Jupiter, Sangiovese is the Chianti grape par excellence, and responsible in Tuscany too, for Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobilo de Montpulciano.
Cabernet Franc (red)
If Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are, respectively, Bordeaux's king and queen, Cabernet Francis its prince.
Petit Verdot (red)
[Grape Variety] This high quality Bordeaux variety deserves to be better known as well as more popular but it doesn't always get ripe, especially in marginal climates.
A romantic choice for summer - chilled Rosé
In the UK, the boom in the popularity of rosé is generally attributed to the heatwave summer of 2003.
Malbec (red)
Responsible for the so-called ancient 'black wine of Cahors' in south-west France, Malbec is also a minor partner among the five main red varieties that make up the Bordeaux blend.
Chardonnay (white)
Chardonnay is the most popular of all white grape varieties, albeit not the most widely planted variety in the world (a dubious honour belonging to Spain's Airen).
Gamay (red)
Gamay is the Beaujolais grape, and, as such, carries with it an innate inferiority complex next to the red burgundy grape, Pinot Noir.